Welcome back to The Rundown, our daily breakdown on comic news stories we missed from the previous day. Have a link to share? Email our team at rundown@multiversitycomics.com.
In case you missed it, Ninjak will be returning in 2021 with a new series from Valiant Comics. We also spoke with writer James Tynion IV about ‘Joker War,’ which starts in today’s “Batman” #95.
– HarperCollins Publishers will be releasing the first volume of ”Sapiens: A Graphic History,” written by historian Yuval Noah Harari, on October 27. Volume 1, titled “The Birth of Mankind,” will chart the evolution of humankind from its earliest origins through the lens of both the social and natural sciences. The graphic novel was adapted by artists David Vandermeulen and Daniel Casanave from Harari’s acclaimed 2011 text Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, itself based on a series of lectures the professor gave at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
– Spinning out of the on-going ‘Empyre’ event, “Web of Venom: Empyre’s End” #1 will hit shelves this October. The one-shot by writer Clay McLeod Chapman and artist Guiu Villanova will star Knull, the intergalactic God of the Symbiotes created by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman. The book will set up Marvel’s next event, December’s “The King in Black,” in which Knull serves as the primary antagonist.
– Dark Horse Comics will be joining with Respawn Entertainment to produce a 190-page full color lorebook for Respawn’s Apex Legends. Apex Legends: Pathfinder’s Quest will follow the Mobile Robotic Versatile eNtity Pathfinder as he travels through the Outlands, interviewing the other Legends, as he attempts to piece together his own mysterious origins. The book is scheduled for release on December 2nd.
– Amazon is offering their own way to experience this year’s online Comic-Con, Amazon Virtual-Con, which promises “a digital experience that celebrates superfans and amplifies the spirit of Comic-Con@Home.” Virtual-Con’s full schedule will be posted on July 23 at 12am PST, with presentations from many of Amazon’s various brands (including comiXology and Twitch).
– Todd McFarlane will help Syfy kick off this summer’s Syfy Fan Fest. The cable channel will be premiering their new documentary Todd McFarlane: Like Hell I Won’t this Saturday as part of their “week-long on-air celebration of fandom.” The documentary follows the highs and lows of McFarlane’s career, with the trailer highlighting both the 300th issue of “Spawn” and McFarlane’s legal troubles with Neil Gaiman and pro-hockey star Tony Twist. In addition to the documentary, Syfy will also be presenting their panel, The Untold Tales of Todd McFarlane, live this Thursday (July 23) at 5pm EST on the Comic-Con YouTube page as part of Comic-Con@Home. Todd McFarlane: Like Hell I Won’t will premiere July 25 at 11pm ET/PT on Syfy. It will also be available on the channel’s website and YouTube page, along with set-top-box on demand and NBCU’s OneApp.
– Italian writer/artist Mirka Andolfo has announced her first animated project, Sweet Paprika, which will be produced by Arancia Studios and Grey Ladder Productions. Emmy Award-winning director Gabriele Pennacchioli (Love Death + Robots) has been announced as Executive Producer, and Italian comedian Tommaso Triolo will script the project. The cartoon was inspired by sketches Andolfo shared across her social media, and tells the story of career-driven demon Paprika and her “erotic misadventures,” as she courts angelic delivery boy Dill. Andolfo describes Sweet Paprika as an “urban fairy tale for adults,” citing both Sex and the City and Bridget Jones’s Diary as influences.
– Margot Bingham has joined the cast of The Walking Dead for their 11th season. While AMC has not confirmed who the She’s Gotta Have It and Boardwalk Empire star will be portraying, Bingham previously provided the voice of Stephanie, the Charleston survivor who communicated with Eugene Porter (Josh McDermitt) by radio in season 10. Further announcements are expected during the Comic-Con@Home Walking Dead panel, this Friday (July 24) at 1pm PDT.
– Finally, Marvel’s Storyboards, the talk show hosted by Marvel Executive Vice President and Creative Director Joe’s Quesada, will premiere this Thursday (July 23), just not where you may expect it. Originally scheduled to premiere in November 2019 on Disney+, Storyboards will instead release on on Marvel’s YouTube page. In addition to this change, the originally announced twelve-episode season will be split into two six-episode seasons. The first half will air in July with the second later in 2020.
